Update: The Denver Police Department has now released a mug shot of Andrew Simpson, the man accused in the brutal hit and run that ended the life of DU student Masoud Bahramisasharif -- one that may have been preceded by a trip to a bar and a quest to buy some pot. In addition, the DPD is sharing the accident report, complete with a graphic on view below that depicts the brutality of the impact.

As you can see in this segment of a graphic seen in its entirety in the aforementioned report, Bahramisasharif's body slid diagonally across the street after being struck, allegedly by Simpson's SUV, before coming into contact with a pickup parked on the opposite curb. Meanwhile, the vehicle continued straight ahead, with the bicycle still attached.

According to the Denver Post, Simpson was allegedly driving wildly before the crash -- giving the finger to assorted folks he encountered and/or asking if they knew where he could score some weed. A friend subsequently called police after Simpson reportedly gave him a pair of descriptions for what happened to the SUV.

Explanation one: He'd gotten into a fight with his girlfriend, who owned the Jeep in question, then hit what he thought was a dog. Explanation two: He'd been drinking at a bar with his brother before his fateful drive.

Here's a larger look at Simpson's booking photo, along with the police report and our previous coverage.

Update, 7:38 a.m. June 5: The Denver Police Department has reportedly made an arrest in the gruesome hit-and-run death of Masoud Bahramisasharif, a well-liked University of Denver student originally from Iran, seen here.

The man in custody: Andrew Simpson, age 45.

The incident, outlined below, took place on the evening of May 31 at the busy intersection of University of Evans. Witnesses (and there were plenty of them) say Bahramisasharif was walking his bicycle in a crosswalk when a red SUV blew through a traffic signal and plowed into him, fatally injuring the 24-year-old engineering student (he died at a hospital the next morning) and dragging his bike for blocks.

On Sunday, police found a vehicle in Aurora they dubbed suspicious and seized it for testing -- at Denver's new $28 million crime lab, perhaps? When we spoke to Detective John White yesterday morning, he declined to predict how long analysis would take, but surmised that it could be hours or days.

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The time frame fell toward the shorter end of this range. Although the DPD hasn't issued a release about the arrest at this writing, or shared a mug shot, Fox31 quotes White confirming that Simpson is in custody for investigation of vehicular homicide and failure to report an accident. He's expected to make his first court appearance tomorrow.

Look below to see our previous coverage.

Original June 4 item, followed by update: At this writing, the Denver Police Department isn't confirming that it's found the vehicle that struck and killed bicycle-riding DU student Masoud Bahramisasharif last week in a horrific hit-and-run crash at University and Evans.

But hopes are high the DPD is closer to finding the person or persons responsible for a crime that's shaken the DU community.

As noted by Fox31, Bahramisasharif, a native of Iran, was an engineering student with a particular interest in robotics. But far from taking his emotional cues from such machines, he is said to have been known for his kindness and omnipresent smile.

This expression contrasted sharply with the looks of shock on the faces of bystanders on Thursday night. According to witnesses, Bahramisasharif was walking his bicycle in the crosswalk at University and Evans when a red SUV ran the light and plowed into him, dragging his bike for several blocks before speeding away.

Last week, Denver Police released photos of a early 2000s Jeep Cherokee said to resemble the vehicle in question. Here are those shots:

Then, late last night, came word of a potential breakthrough -- the recovery in Aurora of what's been termed a "suspicious vehicle."

More testing will be required to confirm that the SUV in question is actually the one that contributed to Bahramisasharif's death. In the meantime, the Denver police is offering $2,000 through its Crimestoppers program for information leading to an arrest and conviction in this case -- an amount being matched by DU, which released a statement expressing sympathy for Bahramisasharif's family and friends.

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Update, 9:32 a.m. June 4: Just chatted with Detective John White, spokesman for the Denver Police Department, and he confirms that investigators have not yet determined that the vehicle in custody was involved in the death of Masoud Bahramisasharif. Analysis is ongoing, but there's no firm E.T.A. regarding a final conclusion. White says it could take hours in a best-case scenario, or perhaps as long as days.

Michael Roberts has written for Westword since October 1990, serving stints as music editor and media columnist. He currently covers everything from breaking news and politics to sports and stories that defy categorization.

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